A New Dawn
by Wolfstar of ShadowClan
Summary: Nightwing has always had her eye on Goldenfang, a handsome golden tom. But he has never paid much attention to her until the day she became deputy. From then on, her life would never be simple again.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**It's Wolfstar again! I will be splitting my time between Legacy of Wolf and Blood Will Spill Blood, so you will have fewer updates on Legacy of Wolf. In this story the main character is in ThunderClan. I don't think you really need to know the cats of the other Clans. I just make them up on the spot when I need them. ;) Hope you enjoy my second story!**

**Oh oh oh, and sadly Wolfstar of ShadowClan does NOT own Warriors.**

ThunderClan Allegiances

Leader: **Pinestar**

Dark ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

A: **Hollypaw**

Deputy: **Silvercloud**

Silver-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat: **Emberwing**

Amber she-cat with green eyes

Warriors

**Echocall**

Tabby tom with green eyes

**Nightwhisper**

Dark gray tom with blue eyes

A:** Kestrelpaw**

**Lionfang**

Handsome golden tom with green eyes

**Nightwing**

Dark gray she-cat with green eyes

**Mapleleaf**

Tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**Icefrost**

White tom with blue eeys

**Sparrowflight**

Tabby she-cat with green eyes

**Dawnshine**

Ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentices

**Hollypaw**

Black tom with green eyes

**Kestrelpaw**

Tabby tom with blue eyes

Queens

**Bluewing**

Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Lakebird**

Dark gray she-cat with bleu eyes

Kits:** Snowkit** (White she-kit),** Frostkit** (Light gray tom),** Stormkit **(Dark gray tom)

Elders

**Swiftbird**

Tortoiseshell tom

Prologue

Trees loomed along the edge of the path. Stars twinkled above the heads of the cats, and an owl hooted in the distance. The bright and full moon faintly illuminated the night, leaves creating dapples on the ground. The medicine cats chatted idly as they climbed the path, but Amberwing hung back and padded along by herself. She didn't bother joining in with the conversation. It wasn't because she was unfriendly, nor because the other medicine cats didn't like her. It was just that Amberwing was the strong, silent type, only speaking if it was nessescary.

The small group finally reached their destination. They entered a stone hollow with a small pool at the bottom of it. On one side, there was a steep cliff with water flowing out of it, feeding the pool. The cats fanned out in a circle around the pool and each of them lapped up a few drops of water. One by one, they fell asleep.

"Amberwing."

Amberwing jerked her head up to see a tabby she-cat peering down at her. "Brackenpool!" she meowed joyfully, scrambling to her feet. Her old mentor touched her muzzle gently to Amberwing's forehead in a greeting, but her face was somber.

"Brackenpool?" Amberwing mewed quizzically, tliting her head in confusion. "Why the long faces?"

"Amberwing, I have a prophecy for you," Brackenpool started. Amberwing's eyes widened in surprise. "Darkness will rise to bring the light. The sun will rise to bring the end of the night and there will be peace."

The amber she-cat took a step back. "W-w-what does it mean?"

"There is not enough time for me to explain everything," Brackenpool meowed. "But I can assure you, there will be trouble within ThunderClan."

But Brackenpool was already starting to shimmer and fade. "Brackenpool!" Amberwing yowled. "What does it me-" The starry she-cat had disappeared before Amberwing had time to finish her question.

Amberwing blinked slowly. The morning sunlight was shining onto the hollow, and a few medicine cats were already up and stretching their legs. She sat up and licked a paw. _Darkness will rise to bring the light. The sun will rise to bring the end of the night and there will be peace._

While the medicine cats began the trek home, Amberwing thought over what Brackenpool had told her. _What could it possibly mean? So there are four cats resembled in the prophecy, darkness, light, sun, and night. And I know that there will be trouble. But other than that, I don't get anything about the prophecy. Darkness will rise to bring the light? Darkness will rise TO bring the light. That doesn't make sen-_

"Amberwing, are you okay?" a soft voice asked her. Amberwing blinked to see Morningdew looking at her, concern obvious on her face.

"I'm fine," Amberwing replied on impulse. _Should I tell her? _"I guess I'm just distracted," she added when the WindClan medicine cat didn't look convinced. Morningdew shrugged.

"Whatever you say," she mewed. "But just remember, if you ever need someone to lean on, I'm right here." Amberwing smiled at Morningdew.

"Thanks for being a great friend," she meowed gratefully. "But I'm serious, I'm fine." Morningdew nodded at Amberwing's reply, but she still looked a bit disbelieving. _Brackenpool said that there would be trouble within ThunderClan. Maybe it won't be serious enough that ThunderClan can handle on our own._

"That's good," she murmured softly, as if suddenly lost in her own thoughts.

Amberwing lifted her head and fazed up at the sky. _Darkness will rise to bring the light. The sun will rise to bring the end of the night and there will be peace. StarClan please, tell me what it means._


	2. Chapter One

**Wolfstar is back with the first official chapter of A New Dawn! I would've waited until I'd gotten more reviews for the prologue, but I don't want to lose more readers. Enjoy Chapter One!**

**And I always forget until the last minute to say: Wolfstar of ShadowClan does NOT own Warriors!**

Chapter One

"Hi Goldenfang," Nightwing meowed shyly to a handsome golden tom. Her heart fluttered as he turned to look at her. "Do you want to share some prey with me?" He stared at her with awkwardly before finally replying,"Uh… no thanks." He quickly hurried away before the situation got even more awkward. Depressed, Nightwing padded over to a corner of the clearing of the ThunderClan camp and dropped into a lying position. _Why do I always have to embarrass myself in front of him? I like him, yet he doesn't seem to have any interest in me._

Suddenly a young black tom raced through the entrance to the camp, interruputing her thoughts. He was out of breath and panting, and a look of fear was plastered on his face.

"Hollypaw!" Pinestar meowed in alarm, jumping down from the Highledge in a single graceful move. "What happened?"

"Patrol…" he gasped dramatically, collasping in exaustion. "Attacked… near Greenleaf... Twolegplace." Nightwing's first thought was: _ShadowClan! _Pinestar looked shocked, but quickly started giving orders.

"Nightwing, Goldenfang, come with me. The rest of you, be prepared to defend the camp if our enemies decide to use the battle our Clanmates are currently fighting as a distraction. Amberwing, prepare your supplies." And with that, she raced out the thorn tunnel, Goldenfang on his heels. Nightwing leaped into a lope and followed them.

The yowls of fighting cats were getting closer as the small patrol raced the forest. Pinestar quickened her pace and lengthened her stride, as did Goldenfang and Nightwing. Finally they burst from the trees into a clearing, now a bloody battlefield. Pinestar immediately launched herself into the fray, letting out a battle caterwaul. Goldenfang also yowled a battle cry before sprinting in after her. Nightwing, on the other hand, skidded to a halt at the edge of the battlefield. _Better plan out my attack rather than just race in recklessly. _The enemy cats weren't ShadowClan; they were probably rogues, as Nightwing didn't recognize any of them. She scanned the clearing, narrowing her eyes. _Who looks like they need he- Oh!_

Nightwing raced into the fray, dodging fighting cats and finally reaching the other side. She launched herself onto a dark brown tabby tom, digging her claws into his back and pulling him off a silvery-gray she-cat. Nightwing quickly jumped off as the tom rolled over, barely avoiding being crushed. The silver cat leaped up and began mercilessly clawing at the tom's exposed underbelly, making him yowl in agony. When the tom finally got to his feet, Nightwing flashed out a forepaw and hooked them around the tom's hind paws, successfully tripping him. She caught her mother, the silver cat's, eyes for a brief moment and gratitude flashed in them. Nightwing blinked in response before turning her attention back to the tom. Silvercloud, the silver she-cat Nightwing had rescued, slashed her claws along the tom's flank and he yowled in pain. While he was distracted, she flipped him over onto his back and pinned him to the ground. She snarled down at him for a moment before letting him up. The tabby tom fled into the trees as soon as Silvercloud released him. The deputy threw herself back into the battle as soon as he disappeared.

Nightwing surveyed the clearing. Most of the enemy cats had fled, but there still a few, at least four. She snuck over from behind to a tortoiseshell Goldenfang was fighting and stuck her claws in the tortoiseshell's tail, pinning her to the ground. The she-cat yowled in agony and whipped around to glare at her. Goldenfang glanced up and a hint of glare flashed across his face. Confusion raced through Nightwing's mind. But there was no time to ponder about that now. Nightwing let go of the tortoiseshell's tail and she raced back into the trees.

This time, instead of watching the clearing to see who needed help, Nightwing just jumped into the battle. A tabby she-cat and a black tom had teamed up on Echocall, so Nightwing launched herself on the tabby she-cat, bowling her away from Echocall and pinning her to the ground. The tabby clawed at Nightwing's eyes and her vision turned red with blood. Nightwing shook her head to clear the blood, but right when she could actually see her target, the tabby knocked her down again and pinned her with big white paws. Nightwing thought fast, raising her hind legs and pushing them forcefully into the tabby's stomach. She fell to the ground and lay motionless. Nightwing flipped the tabby onto her back and then placed her paws firmly on the tabby's shoulders and whispered in her ear, "Surrender?" The tabby didn't move. Nightwing's mind raced. _That blow couldn't have killed her, could it? _Suddenly the tabby sprang up and lashed out at Nightwing's muzzle. Blood spurted out of her nose, and the dark gray she-cat winced in pain. _Mouse-dung! That's the oldest trick in the book__  
_

A heavy weight knocked her off her feet, bowling her over. The tabby gazed down at her through narrowed green eyes, and Nightwing closed her eyes and prepared herself for the death blow. Suddenly the weight disappeared. Nightwing hesitantly opened an eye to see Silvercloud pinning the tabby to the ground. Nighting jumped up and raced over. Silvercloud let the tabby go and she raced into the trees, not looking back. Nightwing turned to Silvercloud gleefully, but her happiness vanished when she saw her mother slumped to the ground, unmoving.

"Silvercloud!" Pinestar yowled, sprinting over to the silvery-gray body. _No! _Nightwing bolted to her mother's side. _She can't be-_

"Dead."


	3. Chapter Two

**And here is chapter two of A New Dawn! I enjoyed typing this chapter, despite the opposite atmosphere. I love writing sad chapters. ****Wolfstar of ShadowClan does NOT own Warriors! Yay, I didn't forget to say it! **Enjoy! 

Chapter Two

"She's dead," Pinestar meowed in anguish. "She's DEAD!" She turned away and shut her eyes. Not only had Silvercloud had been her deputy, she had been Pinestar's best friend. But the ThunderClan leader's grief was nothing compared to the pain, the heartbreak, the anger that coursed through Nightwing as she gazed at her mother's body. She leaned forward and gently touched her nose to her mother's still flank. _No... oh Mother. StarClan, why?_

The ThunderClan cats all dashed over to crowd around Silvercloud's body. Nightwing stepped over to Pinestar. "Would you like me to carry her body back to camp?" Nightwing murmured gently, gritting her teeth to hold back a sob as she pressed comfortingly against Pinestar's flank.

"No," Pinestar replied, lifting her voice so her Clanmates could hear her. "I will carry her." The circle of cats stepped back, and Nightwing helped Pinestar heap Silvercloud's body over the reddish she-cat's back. Slowly Pinestar headed back to camp, stumbling slightly under the weight of Silvercloud's body. Nightwing hung back, head lowered in grief and slowly following the rest of the patrol. _She can't be dead. She can't be dead. She can't be dead. _

Finally the group of warriors reached the ThunderClan camp. Cats gasped as Pinestar carried Silvercloud's body into the clearing. Nightshade, Silvercloud's father, limped rapidly over to Silvercloud's body as Pinestar lowered her to the ground.

"What happened?" he demanded. "What happened to my daughter?" His voice rose to a griefstricken wail.

"I'm sorry Nightshade," Pinestar murmured, voice cracking slightly at the end. "She died defending her Clan." The black tom pushed his nose mournfully into Silvercloud's fur. Amberwing padded silently over to the motionless body with a mouthful of herbs and started covering Silvercloud's body with them to mask the scent of death.

Nightwing padded over to her mother's body and lay down, pushing her nose into her mother's fur mournfully. _Why? StarClan, how could you? How could you take my mother away from me? s_he thought angrily. The herbs were already beginning to smother Silvercloud's familiar scent. She gazed at her mother's flank, and Nightwing felt like a kit again, snuggling against Silvercloud's warm belly, her littermates piled around her. _Why do they have to make it look like she's asleep? _Nightwing thought bitterly. _She's DEAD! _All of a sudden, the force of the realization hit her like lightning. _Silvercloud's dead. Silvercloud's dead. Silvercloud's dead. _Suddenly overwhelmed with exaustion, Nightwing closed her eyes and rested her head on Silvercloud's flank. _Silvercloud…_

Pinestar's call pulled her back into the real world. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Boulder for a Clan meeting." But this time her voice no longer sounded commanding, now it sounded weak and tired.

Nightwing dragged herself up and stepped back, allowing Silvercloud's body to lie alone in the center of the clearing, a shaft of moonlight faintly illuminating it. It was time to appoint a new deputy.

"Silvercloud was an amazing friend, loyal deputy, and good mother," Pinestar began, glancing over at Nightwing. The green-eyed she-cat choked back a sob when Pinestar mentioned that SIlverlcoud had been a godd mother. _I couldn't have asked for a better one._ "May StarClan light your path as you walk the skies to join them. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where you sleep." The Clan echoed the dying ritual in soft murmurs. "I say these words before the body of Silvercloud," Pinestar went on, "so that her spirit may hear and approve my choice." The Clan seemed to hold their breath, waiting for Pinestar to annouce who would be the new deputy, but Nightwing hardly cared. _It seems wrong that a new deputy should be named over the body of an old one. _

"Nightwing will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

The dark gray she-cat's head shot up. There was no way Pinestar had said what she thought she had said. But Pinestar was gazing down at _her, _and cats were moving toward her to congratulate her.

Nightwing swallowed hard and thought fast. "I will do my best to serve as deputy in my mother's place. I will never be the great deputy she had been, but I will serve my Clan to the limits of my strength," she replied. Pinestar dipped her head.

"That is all I ask of you," she replied, a hint of pride in her meow as she gazed down at her old friend's daughter. She slowly jumping off the boulder, stumbling at the landing, and padded over to her dead friend's body. She lay down next to Silvercloud and began licking the blood off her former deputy's fur.

Nightwing padded over to Goldenfang. For once the situation was visa versa. The golden tom actually looked the tiniest bit friendly, but Nightwing's expression, as well as her heart, was as cold as ice. "I'm sorry for fighting that tortoiseshell off for you," she told him shortly. "I should've realized you wanted to defeat her yourself." _Arrogant, ungrateful jerk. _Without looking back to see Goldenfang's reaction, she padded back over to Silvercloud's body and lay down next to her mother's body. She started grooming her like Pinestar and Nightshade were doing, rasping her tongue over her mother's back like she had done to her so many times.

Nightwing rested her head on her mother's back, wishing for that steady rising and falling of her flank. Instead, Silvercloud's body was cold and still, never to move again. She finally released the flow of tears that had been threatening to fall ever since Pinestar had declared her mother dead. _Good-bye, Silvercloud._


	4. Chapter Three

**Okay you guys, I'm getting desperate. Review! You know... that little box down there. Please? They don't even have to be long. Reviews encourage me to write more, so REVIEW!**

Chapter Three

Nightwing lifted her head drowsily and looked around. Pinestar and Nightshade were still sitting vigil, but the rest of the Clan was asleep. She glanced at Pinestar and Nightshade. Pinestar was still deep in her grief, but Nightshade nudged her gently and whispered, "Did you fall asleep?" Nightwing didn't reply. Nightshade licked his granddaughter's cheek and returned to sitting vigil for Silvercloud.

Nightwing got up and padded out the thorn tunnel. She didn't want to see her mother be carried away by the elders to be buried. It would hurt too much for her.

Out in the forest, birds chirped happily and squirrels bounded along tree branches, rustling leaves. Sunlight peeked in from among the leaves, creating dapples on the ground. Nightwing sighed again. The day seemed so wrong. It should be a rainy, cloudy day, darkness covering the forest over the shadow of Silvercloud's death.

_Why didn't I fight harder? _Nightwing thought angrily at herself. _I could have saved her. _

_But you did, _another voice in her head argued. _You saved her from the dark brown tabby. _

_But I should have saved her from whichever cat killed her, _the first voice debated. _She's dead. _Nightwing padded along with her head drooping. _Silvercloud. _

Suddenly Nightwing jerked her head up. She was deputy! _I'm supposed to be organizing patrols! I completely forgot! _She took off back towards tha camp at dead sprint. _Silvercloud may be dead, but that won't stop me from serving my Clan as well as I can. I have to get over it and mourn later._

Nightwing raced through the thorn tunnel and skidded to a halt in the clearing. Pinestar jumped off the Highledge and padded over to Nightwing. "You're just in time," she meowed, a smile on her face. Even though Pinestar was putting up a cheerful act, Nightwing knew the ThunderClan leader was still grieving for Silvercloud. _That's how I must act, _the dark gray she-cat thought determinedly. _I have to put my Clan first._

Nightwing took a deep breath and began. "Lionfang, lead a hunting patrol with Icefrost and Hollypaw. Um, I guess I'll lead a border patrol. Nightwhisper and Kestrelpaw, you're coming with me." Lionfang nodded and went to gather the following cats, while Nightwhisper and Kestrelpaw headed over to her. Relieved, Nightwing released a huge breath. _Okay, it didn't go that bad. Now I'll just go on the patrol like the regular leader of a patrol. Not that new. _

Nightwing led Nightwhisper and Kestrelpaw into the forest. They padded toward the WindClan border, Nightwhisper teaching a few things along the way to Kestrelpaw, who had just become apprentice a few sunrises ago. The small patrol finally reached the border and Kestrelpaw's eyes widened when his gaze reached the moor. He bounded forward and splashed in the stream happily.

"Kestrelpaw!" Nightwhisper growled. "Get back here!" Nightwing bit her lip to stop from yowling at Kestrelpaw's stupidity.

"May I ask what your apprentice is doing on the border?" a voice meowed smoothly. Nightwing swung her head around to see a four cat WindClan patrol. They were outnumbered by two cats, as Kestrelpaw would barely be any help in fighting.

"Kestrelpaw is a new apprentice," Nightwhisper defended his apprentice firmly, sidling over to the tabby tom and yanking him by the tail back to the other side of the border. "He didn't know better." Kestrelpaw lowered his head in embarressment, shame, and a hint of frustration as he stood next to his mentor.

Nightwing stepped up and looked the leader of the patrol in the eye. "Nightwhisper is right," she meowed confidently. "So please back down and let us continue our patrol in peace."

The leader of the patrol, Rabbitfoot, snarled. "I am a senior warrior and therefore higher ranking than you. You can't tell me what to do, even though we are in different Clans. Now I suggest you study Clan heirarchy before you make another mistake."

Nightwing smiled. She had the perfect comeback to this. "Well I suggest _you _study Clan heirarchy because I believe deputy is higher ranking than a senior warrior, correct?" Rabbitfoot rolled his eyes.

"Like you're the deputy," he snorted scornfully. "Trying to take your mother's place?" A growl rumbled deep in Nightwing's throat at the mention of Silvercloud. _  
_

"Actually, I am," Nightwing hissed, hopping into the stream and getting nose to nose to Rabbitfoot. "Silvercloud. Is. Dead." She pushed her paw into Rabbitfoot's chest at the end of every word. Rabbitfoot's eyes widened and he stepped farther back into WindClan territory, while the other three cats on his patrol lowered their heads in respect for both Silvercloud and Nightwing.

"I'm sorry," Rabbitfoot meowed with actual sympathy in his voice. "Silvercloud was a good deputy." And with that he led his patrol away from the stream. Nightwing let out a breath and padded along the stream, silently marking the border. _How dare they bring you up? Just when I hadn't been thinking about it, _the dark gray she-cat fumed.

Her thoughts became more miserable and sorrowful rather than angry as she thought about her deceased mother. _Oh Silvercloud. __I miss you so much. I would do anything, even step down from being deputy, if only it means that you will come back._

_Nightwing, _a familiar voice gently scolded her. Nightwing gazed around wildly, looking for the voice. She strained to remember who the voice belonged to. _I know that voice. I know that voice. Who did it belong to? _Nightwing closed her eyes tightly and... _OH! That's Silvercloud's voice!_

"Nightwing?" Nightwing turned her head to see Nightwhisper and Kestrelpaw staring at her weirdly. "Are you okay?" Kestrelpaw asked slowly. Nightwing nodded quickly and returned to marking the border

_Nightwing, I know you miss me, but there isn't anything that can bring me back from StarClan. Now be the best deputy you can be and serve ThunderClan to the limits of your strength. When the time is right, you will see me again. I am proud of you, my precious daughter. _Nightwing listened for more, but Silvercloud was gone.

_Okay Nightwing, _she thought determinedly. _Be the best deputy you can be and serve ThunderClan to the limits of your strength._


End file.
